moon_guardfandomcom-20200213-history
Scarlet Bastion
The Scarlet Bastion was the barracks of the Order of the Silver Hand and later command post of the Scarlet Crusade. The Scarlet Bastion had been originally built with the sole purpose of garrisoning the Knights of the Order of the Silver Hand. As such, it was uniquely equipped like few other places on Azeroth to handle the demands of housing hundreds of Paladins at a time within its walls. History The structure that would become known as the Scarlet Bastion was presumably built after or around the time of the Order of the Silver Hand's founding. Crusader's Square in the City of Stratholme would be chosen for the site of construction, and may have been converted from a pre-existing Cathedral. Located in Lordaeron where the Silver Hand was based, it would come to house countless treasures of the order ranging from holy weapons to beautiful works of art. Numerous Paladins were ceremonially armed within its walls after being inducted into the order within Alonsus Chapel. The trial of Tirion Fordring would take place within the Bastion's walls just before the Third War after his refusal to renege on an oath sworn to the Orc warrior Eitrigg. Third War During the Third War, Crusader's Square would be occupied by the Dreadlord Mal'ganis, who used it as a post to propagate the Undead Scourge from. This combined with Prince Arthas' purge of Stratholme and killing of most of its population would result in the Bastion lying unused and mostly unoccupied for years. The first human to return to the bastion since the culling was Lord Commander Saidan Dathrohan, one of the original knights of the silver hand who alongside Alexandros Mograine and the Order of the Silver Hand had launched an assault on Stratholme in an attempt to remove the Scourge from their seat of power in Lordaeron. Dathrohan ducked into the Order's old barracks in an attempt to gain respite from pursuing Scourge forces. Unfortunately for Dathrohan, there was another entity lingering within the building. The Dreadlord Balnazzar, having long been thought dead by most of the world, had been waiting for an opportunity such as this to take control of Lordaeron for the Burning Legion. Balnazzar drank in Dathrohan's soul and would leave the Bastion masquerading in his body. Aftermath of the Third War In the years after the Third War, Alexandros Mograine had been killed in a plot orchestrated by Balnazzar and Kel'thuzad, leaving Balnazzar masquerading as Dathrohan in sole control of the Scarlet Crusade. Dathrohan would lead the Scarlet Crusade back to Stratholme and through blood and tears the Crusade would carve out a corner of the city for themselves. The Bastion would be re-occupied by the Scarlet Crusade, who cleansed the Undead who had taken up residence there and began restoring the fortified structure to its former glory. Vast galleries beneath the Bastion were cleared of ancient relics, devotional artifacts and tapestries. These galleries were replaced with armories, hoards of weapons and cannons to stockpile against the ever-present threat of the Scourge just outside their doors. Dathrohan himself would take Stratholme as his seat, and issue commands to the rest of the Crusade from the Crimson Throne. The Scarlet Bastion served as a small outpost of the living in the undead-infested city. Grand Crusader Dathrohan struggled to hold the Scarlet Crusade stronghold. The Scarlet Bastion also became the headquarters for the Crimson Legion, the elite guard of the Crusade, who exclusively manned the outpost. It is the Scarlet Crusade's holiest site, and where the founding members took their oaths. Risen and Argent Crusade After years of struggle and subterfuge, Balnazzar was finally unmasked from his guise of Dathrohan. After a time, he abandoned the Grand Crusader's remains completely and engaged in a killing spree, decimating the Crimson Legion and killing every Crusader in the complex. This led to him using his necromantic powers to raising their corpses into a short-lived but powerful army known as 'The Risen.' Balnazzar planned to unleash his forces on the Scourge-controlled districts of Stratholme and convert it into the capital of a new empire of darkness. Yet before he could so much as step outside the Bastion doors, the forces of the Argent Crusade led by Eligor Dawnbringer invaded Stratholme to purge it of the evils dwelling within. Balnazzar would be sent flying back to the Twisting Nether in disgrace, and the Bastion was claimed by the Argent Crusade, intending to make it their headquarters within Stratholme.Category:Scarlet Crusade Category:Crimson Legion Category:Order of the Silver Hand Category:Stratholme Locations Category:Buildings